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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tube · content · firm · wave · bass · trunk · season · chip

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. season — in sport
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. chip — to eat
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. content — happy
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. season — of the year
  13. bass — low music
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bass — the fish
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. content — the amount
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. firm — a company
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. season — to add flavour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com